McManus - Irish Surname Origin & Meaning
Irish form: Mac Mághnuis
Meaning: “son of Manus” (from Magnus)
Traditional stronghold: Roscommon, Fermanagh
Pronunciation: mik-MAN-us; Irish Mac Maghnusa: mok MOW-nu-sa
History of the McManus name
McManus comes from Mac Maghnusa, 'son of Magnus', a Norse personal name meaning great that entered Gaelic naming through Viking contact and became popular among Irish chieftains. The best-known sept were the Mag Uidhir (Maguire) kinsmen of County Fermanagh, where the McManus family were noted as scholars and scribes; the Annals of Ulster were compiled at their instigation on an island in Lough Erne. A separate branch existed in County Leitrim and Monaghan. The surname anglicised in several ways, including McManus and Manus, and it remains most common today in Fermanagh, Leitrim, Monaghan and Cavan, with a wide diaspora presence.
Variants: MacManus · Manus
Famous bearers of the name
- Seamus MacManus - Donegal-born writer and folklorist known as the 'Storyteller of Ireland'
- Mick McManus - English professional wrestler of Irish descent, a major star of British televised wrestling
Related names from the same part of Ireland: Kelly · O'Connor · Murray · Brennan · Maguire · Flynn · Flanagan · Cassidy